Stefon Diggs had to wait 11 years for it. On Sunday, the New England Patriots wide receiver will finally get to play in a Super Bowl.
The magnitude of the moment is not lost on him. However, the first-year
Patriot also is making sure not to let himself be defined by it. For Diggs, his legacy goes beyond just one game — even if it is one he has dreamed about since starting his career at 5 years old.
“I had an interesting conversation. It was somebody close to me,” Diggs recalled at Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday. “They were asking, ‘Why do I play?‘ And I said I don’t really do it for other people. And they said, like, ‘So what do you do it for? If you’re not doing it for validation?‘ I said I wanted to prove it to myself. When I say I want to prove it to myself, I’ve been playing the game for a long time.
“When it comes to legacy, I want respect not notoriety. Notoriety is a lot of people knowing you. I’m saying when it comes down to respect, they respect my game. They respect how I approach this game and the things that I did for this game.”
Diggs has left his mark on the NFL ever since starting his professional career as a fifth-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015.
He was on the receiving end of one of the most famous playoff touchdowns in recent memory, and later played a key role in helping Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen elevate his game to perennial Pro Bowl status. Now, he is the leading receiver on a Patriots team that went from 4-13 to a Super Bowl berth in only one year.
Along the way, Diggs kept checking the boxes and putting himself in a position to reach the lofty goals he had set for himself.
“I wanted to always be a playmaker,” he said. “I wanted to be a Hall of Fame receiver. I wanted to be a Super Bowl champion. I wanted to be an MVP. I said all these things to myself because that’s what I believe. I can’t change it. I can only try to work for it. I only try to earn it. I don’t take a day off.
“So, when it comes down to legacy, that’s what I want to be known for. People say they don’t want to be known for football, but this is what I’ve been doing since I was 5. I’m saying I want the respect. I don’t want all this time to be wasted. I want all this time to be validated in a spot of respect, not because everybody knows you or everybody said you were a good player. I’ve been doing this for a reason and a purpose.”
